Chief Ralph Uwazuruike
Owerri -İmo State: Founder of Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra , MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike said police operatives drafted from the İmo State Command, Tigerbase Unit, Shell Camp, Owerri, have allegedly rearrested five of his members in the early hours of today, Saturday, March 7, 2026.
Uwazuruike gave their names as Comrades Francis Adike, Uchenna Udoye, Maxcell Okonkwo, Obed Gabriel, and Chiemerie Okwaranyia through a statement issued to journalists in Owerri, and signed by his Director of information, Mazi Chris Mocha.
Uwazuruike said the latest arrest was in connection with a disputed land which is currently under litigation at the Imo State High Court, Owerri.
He disclosed that the matter was last heard on February 27, 2026, under Suit No. HOW/127/2026 before Honourable Justice Eke, and lamented the non-appearance of the defendant, Mr. Nwaozuzu.
Uwazuruike contended that rather than the defendant to pursue the matter through the Court procces, the opposing party in the land dispute had repeatedly chosen police intervention.
The latest development follows a separate fundamental rights enforcement suit instituted by Ralph Uwazuruike against police authorities in Suit No. HOW/57/2026, where the MASSOB leader is challenging what he described as “persistent police summons, threats of arrest, and intimidation” concerning the same civil matter.
Uwazuruike’s Counsels argued that police involvement in a matter already before a court amounts to harassment and an infringement on his constitutional rights to liberty and freedom of movement.
The same Suit seeks judicial orders restraining the police from further interference and demanded the sum of one hundred millions of naira ( ₦100 M ) as damages for alleged rights violations.
The fundamental rights enforcement suit was scheduled for hearing on March 5, 2026, but police representatives from the Tiger Base unit reportedly didn’t appear in Court , a situation that raises serious concerns about respect for judicial processes, MASSOB Leader fumes.
He said: “When a matter is already before a competent Court, all the parties are bound by the law to obey the Court rather than resorting to actions that would undermine due process.”
He emphasized that BİM-MASSOB is a peaceful organization and would remain so, warning that using law enforcement agents to resolve land dispute usually creates unnecessary tension.
